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Colestipol is indicated in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia in patients who are unresponsive after dietary modification. Patients taking the drug should check their blood cholesterol levels periodically to adjust the dose of the drug accordingly.
1. What is Colestipol?
Colestipol is a drug belonging to the group of drugs used to treat dyslipidemia, an inhibitor of bile acid secretion. Colestipol is prepared in two different forms: 1g tablets and 5g granules.Mechanism of action of the drug: Colestipol reduces plasma cholesterol by binding with bile acids in the intestinal lumen to form a complex of colestipol - bile acids that are not absorbed and are excreted in the feces. It is the reduced amount of bile acids in the body that stimulates the conversion of plasma cholesterol into bile acids. This reduces the amount of cholesterol in the blood of the patient.
Colestipol is indicated for use as combination therapy with diet control for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.
Colestipol can be used alone or in combination with other cholesterol-lowering drugs to treat hypercholesterolemia. Usually, the drug Colestipol will bring effective treatment after a period of use is 1 month.
However, patients with a history of hypersensitivity to any ingredient of Colestipol should not use the drug for treatment.
2. How to use and dosage of Colestipol
How to use the drug:
Colestipol tablets are used orally, patients take the drug with filtered water, do not drink with alcoholic beverages. Colestipol nuggets are taken by mixing with liquids such as water, orange juice, fruit juice, skimmed milk or non-carbonated, non-alcoholic beverages. Colestipol nuggets can also be taken with soups or mixed with cereals, fruits with a high water content or yogurt. Use 100ml to 150ml of selected liquid solution mixed with the entire packet of nuggets and mix well until the drug is evenly dissolved in the solution. After drinking the prepared mixture, rinse the cup with a small amount of water and drink the entire amount to ensure that the entire dose of medicine has been used. Dosage of Colestipol for adults:
Colestipol tablets:
The starting dose is 2g, 1-2 times a day. Every 1 or 2 months increase the dose by 2g. The recommended daily dose is 2-16g, taken once or in divided doses. In case the above therapeutic dose is used in combination with good adherence to the diet without achieving the desired therapeutic effect, it is necessary to consider combination therapy or alternative medicine to treat the disease. Colestipol granules:
The starting dose is 5g, 1-2 times a day, increasing the dose by 5g every 1-2 months until the therapeutic effect is achieved. The recommended therapeutic dose is 5 - 30g per day in 1 or 2 divided doses. If a good adherence to the diet and use of the above therapeutic doses is not achieved, it is necessary to combine or replace treatment drugs. For adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, a daily dose of 30 g in combination with niacin is recommended. Dosage of Colestipol for children:
Currently, the dose of Colestipol for children has not been established. However, in fact, children have been used with dosages of 10-20g or 500mg/kg per day divided into 2-4 times. When serum cholesterol is only 15-20% higher than normal after adjusting with a reasonable diet, using a lower dose, a dose of 125 - 250mg/kg per day can be used. .
3. Possible side effects when using Colestipol
Common side effects:
Colestipol mainly causes side effects on the gastrointestinal tract with symptoms such as: abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, bloating, flatulence, indigestion, nausea, vomiting . Patients may experience headache, rash, and fatigue. In addition, arthritis, arthralgia, musculoskeletal pain, back pain, and pain in the extremities may occur. Uncommon side effects: Patients may experience chest pain, angina and tachycardia. In addition, patients may have hemorrhoid bleeding and blood in the stool during treatment with Colestipol.
Rare side effects:
The patient has a feeling of loss of appetite, fatigue, swelling of the hands or feet, shortness of breath, weakness. Rarely peptic ulcer , gallstones and cholecystitis .
4. What should patients pay attention to when using Colestipol?
During the use of Colestipol, patients should note:
Care should be taken when using Colestipol for patients with triglyceride levels between 250 - 299mg/dL, need to stop using the drug when the triglyceride level is above 400mg /dL. Colestipol should not be used in patients with a fasting triglyceride level of 300 mg/dL or higher or in patients with primary disturbance of beta-lipoprotein metabolism. Before starting to use Colestipol for treatment, it is necessary to check your health for diseases that contribute to high cholesterol such as diabetes, blood protein disorders, nephrotic syndrome, hypothyroidism, obstructive liver disease. . Patients should not use Colestipol dry powder to avoid inhalation or irritation of the esophagus. If there is a significant increase in triglyceride levels, it is necessary to reduce the dose, stop the drug, or combine or replace it with another drug for treatment. Colestipol prevents the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins, including vitamin K, which is necessary for blood clotting. Therefore, long-term use of Colestipol may increase the risk of bleeding. Animal studies have shown no harmful effects on the fetus, embryonic development, parturition or postnatal development. However, there are no clinical data in humans. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using Colestipol in pregnant women. For women who are breastfeeding, it is necessary to weigh the benefits and risks before deciding to use the drug to ensure safety for both mother and baby. Colestipol may affect the absorption of other drugs when used concurrently or in combination. Therefore, it is necessary to use other drugs 1 hour before or 4 hours after taking Colestipol. The side effects of Colestipol may affect the ability to drive and use machines. Therefore, caution should be exercised when using Colestipol for this subject. Colestipol is a drug that has the ability to reduce or slow down the absorption of some drugs when taken simultaneously such as: propranolol, penicillin G, tetracyclin hydrochloride,... Colestipol has the ability to bind to vitamin K and reduce the effects of Vitamin K for the body. With a combination of maintaining a reasonable and scientific diet and using Colestipol, patients can stabilize the condition of high cholesterol in the blood. However, during the use of Colestipol, patients should be aware of side effects and drug interactions to achieve the desired therapeutic effect.
